Like so many of you, my thoughts and prayers are for all those caught up in the dreadful things that are happening in Iran. My heart goes out to all the ordinary people I met when we were on holiday touring the country back in November 2019, especially our local guide and our two coach drivers plus all the wonderful, friendly Iranians who were keen to talk to us.
Ours must have been one of the last tourist groups allowed into Iran. The Covid pandemic stopped travel. Post Covid now sees a very different Iran. A new president who is largely responsible for the day-to-day administration of government and foreign policy has been elected – the only candidate! The pro-Western leanings of Iran’s previous president came to an abrupt end. Any negotiations with the rest of the world came to an end and life became harder for the general population.
Though the recent bombing of the spectacular historic buildings dating back to the magnificent Persian empire pales in significance compared with the loss of life, it pains my heart to think of the destruction of these great treasures. How many of the breathtaking palaces, historic mosques and museums we had the privilege of visiting have been damaged?
According to the UN, at least four of the country’s 29 UNESCO-listed sites have been damaged in the war including Tehran’s 14th century Golestan Palace, and in my favourite Iranian city of Isfahan, Chehel Sotoon Palace and the Masjede Jame mosque have been hit, plus at least 120 museums, historical buildings and cultural sites.
Peril in Persia – book 3 in my Aunt Jessica Mystery series follows the same itinerary as our holiday. If you haven’t yet read the book and would like to get a feel for why I feel so passionately about the people we met and the wonderful sites we visited, now is your chance. For the next few days only, I’m doing a special promotion, and Peril in Persia is FREE to download on your Amazon bookstore. If you click onto my book page for Peril in Persia, you’ll see more photos of these amazing sites.
Amazon.com link
Amazon.co.uk link
Amazon.ca link
The next book in this series Shadow of the Sphinx will be launched in mid-May.
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